


MK AUs

by LateOwlRambles



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Attempt at Humor, Cheating, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Light Angst, Requests, Revenge, Trapped In Elevator, prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-09-09 13:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8893018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LateOwlRambles/pseuds/LateOwlRambles
Summary: Exactly What It Says on the Tin. One-shots and prompts, with numerous settings, time periods, characters, and pairings. Will update whenever I feel like it.Taking requests.Chapter 2: Two-timing Bastard (Mileena, Reiko, Skarlet)





	1. Trapped in an Elevator

 

 **Prompt:** Trapped in an Elevator

 **Characters:** Liu Kang, Mileena, Kotal Kahn, Scorpion

 **Rating:** T

 **Word count:** 4953

 **Notes:** A ‘thank you’ to the friends and acquaintances who helped choose the victims of this fic. Also, this is my first time writing Kotal Kahn. I have no idea if I’ve done him justice.

* * *

 

Kang sprinted down the hotel corridor as fast as he possibly could. Amongst all of Bo’Rai Cho’s questions, jokes, and repeated offerings of liquor, Kang had forgotten the time. He had less than fifteen minutes to clock in at the shop. He’d already been late once this week; his supervisor would be livid if it happened again.

Further down, someone came out of an elevator. Kang hurried towards it. The doors started closing. Increasing his speed even more, he somehow managed to slip inside the elevator before the doors closed completely.

A teenage girl in a pink miniskirt and heavily lined eyes glanced up from her phone to smirk at him as he stumbled in. Kang averted his gaze to the ground, cheeks heating up. He went to the back of the elevator, next to a tall man clad in a suit. The button to the first floor had already been pushed, thank god. The ride went mostly uninterrupted, only stopping on the sixth floor to let in a bearded man with long, dark hair.

Everything went well for the subsequent four floors. Then the whole elevator came to an abrupt, shaking halt.

Each of the four had to grab hold of the railing in order not to fall. Above the doors, all of the numbers counting the floors blinked in unison. A banging echoed around them as the elevator continued to move in an irregular, rickety, and worrying way for a few more seconds. Soon it became still, however – still and silent.

The longhaired man pushed all of the buttons, the ones for the floors as well as the one for opening the doors. Nothing happened. He cursed beneath his breath.

“We’re stuck.” He pressed his face to the doors to glimpse out of the spring. “And between floors, too.”

His sentence gained a low growl at the end. Without warning, he punched the wall whilst cursing – out loud this time. The suit-clad man stepped forth, a hand raised in a reassuring manner.

“Don’t panic,” he said. “We’ll be-”

“I’m not panicking!” the first man snapped. “I’m pissed off! You’d think a fancy chain like _Forteresce_ would be above shit like this!” He slammed his fist into the wall a second time.

The girl scoffed. “Maybe it’s because of the added weight.”

The first man sent her a fuming glare. She countered with a sweet smile. Kang pulled his cellphone out of his pocket to text Lao, and ask him to tell the supervisor he probably wouldn’t be on time today either.

“Use the elevator-phone to let them know we’re here,” the tall man said.

Grumbling, the irate man turned back to the panel with the buttons. Almost instantly, an uninterested voice came out of the speakers, asking what the issue was.

“There’s four people trapped in one of your elevators,” the man said, surprisingly calm. “We’d like to be let out at the closest floor.”

_“Which elevator?”_

The man frowned. “What?”

 _“There’s a lot of elevators at_ La Forteresce _, sir. Please say the elevator number so we can bring your camera feed and information onto the big screen.”_

“How should I know which one?” he asked, annoyance creeping into his tone. “Where does it say-”

“Number seven,” the girl interjected.

The man sent her a suspicious look. She tilted her chin up to look at him from down her nose. The man slowly turned back to the microphone on the wall.

“Number seven.”

_“Right. You’re stuck between floor one and two. We’ll do our best to have you out ASAP.”_

“How long will that take?”

_“Sir, it’s difficult to tell-”_

“How _long_ will it _take_ ,” he spat out, every ounce of serenity gone. The tall man quickly got between him and the microphone.

“Excuse me, but some of us have important appointments. We would be grateful if we could notify out colleagues when we’ll make it to them.”

 _“Alright, alright…”_ the bored voice said, before pausing for several seconds. _“About twenty minutes to half an hour.”_

“Thank you,” the tall man said. He returned to his spot in the back of the elevator whilst giving the irate man a disapproving glare. “Wasn’t that much easier?”

The irate man replied by shooting him the dirtiest look imaginable. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest and closing his eyes. The girl took out her phone, her thumb rapidly flying across the screen. The tall man stood straight, his hands clasped behind him. He gradually explored every corner of the elevator. Kang shifted his weight by rolling on the balls of his feet with his hands in his pockets. After another ten minutes, the speaker came back to life.

_“Alright, so it seems our technicians are out on another assignment. They’ll be back in a short while.”_

“How long is ‘a short while’?” the tall man asked.

_“Not sure. Maybe three hours, maybe more.”_

“ ** _Three hours?!_** ”

The irate man exploded. He shoved the tall man out of the way and began yelling into the microphone. The bored man on the other sometimes tried to get a monotone word in, but largely didn’t bother. Finally, the girl seized the irate man by the arm, jerking him away from the panel.

“Oh, move aside!” She positioned herself so her mouth was next to the speaker while her face was visible to the camera up on the ceiling. “This is Mileena Kahnum,” she said.

By Kang’s side, the tall man’s jaw dropped to the floor. The other man’s anger seemed to pour right off him, and he became quiet. Kang puckered his brow. The name sounded familiar, but he wasn’t exactly sure from where.

The bored employee had gone eerily quiet. When he spoke again, in was in a high-pitched stutter.

_“M-miss Kahnum?!”_

The girl threw her hair over her shoulder. “Yes.”

_“Miss Kahnum, I’m so, so sorry, I-I didn’t-”_

“Shut up.”

The employee immediately did as told.

“I’m supposed to meet my sister for brunch in less than twenty minutes,” Miss Kahnum said. “Do you know how late I want to be for that?”

_“N-not at all?”_

“That’s right! _So fix this!_ ”

_“Y-yes miss! At once!”_

The speaker went silent. Miss Kahnum turned to the formerly irate man, and snapped her fingers mere centimeters from his face.

“And _that’s_ how you do it!” she said before retaking her spot by the opposite wall. The man only muttered incoherently in response.

The tall man cleared his throat. “Mileena Kahnum.”

“Yeah?”

“Daughter of Shao Kahn, owner of the _Forteresce_ hotels?”

Kang eyes widened. That’s it! That’s where he recognized the name! He looked over at the girl, who sighed whilst rolling her eyes.

“How many ‘Shao Kahns’ do you think there are?” she asked with a hint of irritation.

The man held out his hand in greeting. “I am Ko’atal K’etz. Your father and I are discussing to enter… I guess you could call it a partnership. I’m actually on my way to a meeting with him.”

Miss Kahnum tentatively shook his hand with a raised brow. “Okay? And? You want me to vouch that you weren’t running late on purpose?”

“That would be nice as well, but not what I had in mind. You see, I am proposing a new feature in your hotels: an area of every building would be remodeled after a specific culture or theme. For example, the basement of this hotel could be Maya-inspired. Artwork and food directly lifted from Maya civilization. You could rent clothing to the guests, maybe have hired actors perform dressed as gods. The whole area could be rented for birthdays or weddings.”

Miss Kahnum hummed thoughtfully. “That sounds pretty cool.”

Mr. K’etz smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that. However, your father didn’t show as much of an interest. I thought-”

“That I’d persuade him?” Miss Kahnum giggled. “Okay. But then you owe me a favor in return.”

Mr. K’etz’s expression stiffened slightly.

“That’s fair,” he said, very, very politely. “What can I do for you?”

Miss Kahnum grinned. It was an unusually big smile for such a small girl, something ominous behind it. She rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

“Oh. I’ll come up with something.”

Silence fell over them. They each stood in a corner of their own, trying not to stare, or at any rate get caught staring, at the others. After a while, the longhaired man took out a lighter with what looked like a scorpion engraved on the side. He started rhythmically switching it on and off, sometimes leaving it on for an extra moment to stare at the flame. The clicking and the fire’s gasping when it emerged soon drowned out every other sound in their confined space.

Mr. K’etz heaved a sigh.

“Are you trying to burn us alive?”

The longhaired man looked at Mr. K’etz from the corner of his eye.

“No. I’m suffocating us slowly.”

That made Kang grimace. He knew it wasn’t doable with such a small lighter – modern elevators were too well-ventilated – but the thought was still gruesome.

Mr. K’etz’s lip curled in distaste. “Stop that!”

The longhaired man let out a snort as he switched the lighter on. “If you _have_ to run your mouth, why don’t you sweet talk the little lady some more?”

Mr. K’etz’s gaze blackened. He snatched hold of the other man’s collar with an iron grip. The longhaired man bared his teeth and raised his fist, about to strike. Kang darted in between them.

“Whoa! Stop!” He put a hand on each their chests, trying to keep them apart. “C’mon guys, not in here! Please!”

He turned to Miss Kahnum for backup, only to see her taking the scene with absolute delight. Even after she noticed him inaudibly begging for help she simply shrugged. It appeared he was on his own. He returned his attention to the men.

“You don’t want this! I mean… There’s cameras in here!”

That did the trick, or at least for Mr. K’etz it did. He released the other man’s clothes as if burned, and proceeded to put as much distance between them as possible. The longhaired man adjusted his shirt with a glower directed at Mr. K’etz, but neither he decided it worth the trouble to continue the fight.

 _“Miss Kahnum?”_ The speaker had come alive again.

“Yeah?” Miss Kahnum said, more chipper than previously.

_“I’m sorry, but…”_

All four of them collectively held their breaths, intently looking at the panel.

_“…it seems the issue is a bit bigger than we first thought. It-it’ll take some time to fix.”_

“How long?” she asked sharply.

_“Not more than two and a half hours! We’ll try to make it quicker, I promise!”_

Miss Kahnum took a moment to stare blankly into space. Then she groaned and buried her face in her hands.

“Just hurry up…” she said, her voice muffled.

Immediately after the employee had tuned out, Miss Kahnum dropped her bag onto the ground and slipped out of her leather jacket. Bundling them up into a pillow, she laid down on the floor. Kang soon followed her example, sitting cross-legged by the innermost wall. After a few stubborn minutes, the two other men did as well. The longhaired man continued to fiddle with his lighter. Miss Kahnum brought out her cellphone once more. Mr. K’etz pulled out several documents from his briefcase, shuffling them around but swiftly putting them back with a shake of his head.

Kang could hardly believe it. Two and a half hours. He wondered if the employee had exaggerated the time just in case, or if he’d understated it in fear of them flying completely off the handle.

Miss Kahnum held her free hand up in the air, pointing at Kang.

“You. Name.”

He flinched, then hesitated before responding.

“Um, Liu Kang.”

“Liu Kang…” She rolled over onto her stomach, fixing her gaze on him. “ _What do you wear to bed?_ ”

Kang went beet red. “Wh-what?!”

Miss Kahnum sighed deeply.

“Look: I’m bored, and I found this conversation generator online. That was the first topic. So…?” When Kang didn’t do anything but fidget where he sat, she giggled and waved a dismissive hand his way. “Oh, don’t worry, we’ll all go! I’ll go too! I’ll even pass the phone around so you’ll know I won’t skip any embarrassing topics when it’s my turn. So answer.”

Kang chewed on his lip. Miss Kahnum’s serious eyes continued to bore into his skull. He couldn’t do much else than admit defeat.

“Uh, well… t-shirt and shorts?”

Her face broke out into a smile. She handed the phone to him and, indeed, “What do you wear to bed?” was the question verbatim in the little box. Kang pressed the button that said ‘Generate’, glancing at Mr. K’etz.

“Um, Mr. K’etz,” he said. “What was the last gift you received?”

Mr. K’etz bestowed him what felt like the longest, most aloof look he’d ever been given. The businessman closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“A replica of an ancient ceremonial dagger. From a relative.”

Kang nodded slowly, uncertainly offering the phone. Mr. K’etz took it, but right as he touched the screen, the longhaired man turned away from them.

“No.”

Mr. K’etz watched him with a dour expression. “It will pass the time.”

“I’m not doing this!”

“Ugh, why’re you such a killjoy?” Miss Kahnum got up on her knees, her hands on her hips. “You’ll either join in willingly, or I’ll make you!”

The man scoffed. He turned to smirk at her.

“And how will you do that?”

Seeming to brim with determination, she crawled over to him, positioning herself so her breasts nearly touched his face. A brief look of horror came over him, which he suppressed quickly, although it was still obvious he would’ve recoiled if the wall hadn’t been in the way. She smiled at his reaction.

“You think you’re miserable in here?” she asked. “I can make it much worse when we’re out. I’ll even get creative about it. Believe me.”

He glared up at her, his eyes occasionally flicking down to her cleavage. He gritted his teeth at her.

“ _Fine._ ”

With a satisfied beam, Miss Kahnum returned to her makeshift cushion. Mr. K’etz read from the phone.

“What is your favorite ice cream flavor?”

The man scowled. “I hate cold foods.”

“It’s not food, it’s a dessert,” Miss Kahnum said.

“I hate _everything_ that’s cold.”

Miss Kahnum rolled her eyes. “I guess that’s good enough. Pass it on.”

The man took the phone from Mr. K’etz with palpable reluctance. He proceeded to press the button and read the text, several times, Kang guessed, exceedingly slowly.

“Do you prefer to cook or order take out?”

Miss Kahnum emitted a short laugh.

“Please. I have others cook for me. So, it’s lobster, venison, and sushi made by actual sushi chefs, versus watery kebab and burnt pizza – which one do you think?” The man didn’t reply, instead tossing the phone back to her. “Where do you work?”

Kang had as it happened managed to forget about work. Being reminded didn’t exactly cheer him up.

“A grocery store. It’s downtown; pretty small, only seven aisles. I should be there now, actually…” He trailed off when he realized the others were as interested in hearing about it as he was talking about it. He accepted the phone from Miss Kahnum a second time. “How long does it take for you to get ready in the morning?”

“It depends,” Mr. K’etz said. “Sometimes I get interrupted. A document has disappeared, a phone call has been missed. I’d say, between 40 minutes and two hours.”

“Two hours!” Miss Kahnum exclaimed. “That’s longer than me and my sister needs put together!”

Mr. K’etz shrugged. “I dislike stressing. What’s your least favorite time of day?”

At first it seemed like the man would obstinately refuse, but a look of warning from Miss Kahnum caused him to surrender. He did make an effort to have his tone be defiantly apathetic, though.

“Mornings.”

“You have to elaborate a little,” Miss Kahnum said chidingly. The man narrowed his eyes at her.

“I’m a night person,” was all he added, snatching the phone from Mr. K’etz. “What do you want your last words to be?”

A wide grin spread over her lips. “’Bitch, fight me!’”

“I said ‘what do you want’, not ‘what do you think’,” the man remarked dryly.

“Yet my answer remains unchanged.” The phone made it back to her; she barely read the new topic before guffawing. Her eyes darted between the screen and Kang. “If you were the opposite gender for a day, what would you do?”

Kang directed his gaze towards the ceiling as he contemplated the question. It was a pretty interesting concept with a lot of potential.

“I would… I would talk to as many women as I could, ask them questions and try to see the world from their perspective. Maybe my opinions would have changed, too.”

Miss Kahnum blinked at him. Her mirth had been replaced by disappointment.

“Really? You wouldn’t find someone to screw? Touch yourself? Prance about the house naked?”

“No! That’d be weird! And creepy.”

“Wow. You sound like my sister. I should introduce you. In fact…” She sat up, her beam back in place. “Are you single?”

Kang nearly jumped into the air. He was blushing again; he felt the heat stretch all the way down to his neck.

“I- eh, yes, but I-”

“Great! She’s essentially this, but a few years older,” Miss Kahnum said, pointing at her face. “Oh, and with smaller boobs. But her legs go aaaaallll the way up…” She made some suggestive gestures to her hips.

“Umm, that’s nice, but-”

“You need a personality too, huh? Alright. She’s always happy and optimistic, and super-polite – it’s almost a bit ridiculous. She loves tiny, furry things, her favorite colors are blue and lavender, she donates to at least ten different charities, she collects paper fans… She basically loves everything, and everything loves her. She’s like Jane Bennett from _Pride and Prejudice_.”

Pausing for breath, Miss Kahnum turned to Kang with huge, expecting eyes. He glanced at the other two men for assistance. Mr. K’etz was ignoring them, pretending to examine the elevators wallpaper. The other man just seemed happy he wasn’t the one focused on at the moment. Kang turned back to her, gulping.

“Isn’t it my turn to ask now?” he asked, in a high-pitched peep. Miraculously, she obliged, sending the phone over with a mischievous smile. Kang cleared his throat. “What are your three must have apps?”

Mr. K’etz hummed, then began counting on his fingers.

“Google Chrome. Calendar. Temple Run.” Right after listing the third, his head snapped around as the others stared at him with incredulity. “What?” he said defensively. “It’s addictive. How do you like your eggs cooked?”

The other man groaned. “Why am I the only one to get food questions?”

“It’s randomly generated,” Miss Kahnum said. “Now answer!”

“Hard boiled. What is your favorite thing about summer?”

“Short skirts – obviously. Would you want to know when you’ll die-”

“No.” Kang replied quickly, before she had properly finished the question. “No, then I’d spend my whole life dreading it. What accomplishment are you most proud of?”

Mr. K’etz became solemn, yet uplifted, a sentimental look in his eye.

“My business,” he said. “My father… We nearly went bankrupt when he was still in charge. It wasn’t his fault. It was due to circumstances out of his control and bad luck. Anyway, when I took over we were in a bad shape, but I managed to get us out of the gutter in just a few years. Now we’re more successful than ever. And it’s my doing.” He quieted, ostensibly lingering on his own words before waking up with a slight jolt. “What is the biggest priority in your life right now?”

It was the other man’s turn to become serious. If Mr. K’etz acquired an air of sentimentality, he got downright emotional.

“My son,” he mumbled.

“Wait, you have a son?” Miss Kahnum twisted around to lie on her side, one hand supporting her head. She observed him from head to heel. “Aren’t you a bit young for that?”

The man snorted, a barely-there smile playing upon his lips. “I’m 32.”

Her eyebrows shot into her hairline. “Really? Huh. Okay.”

“What’s his name?” Kang asked.

“Hell, what’s _your_ name?” she threw in.

“Jubei. And… my name’s Hanzo.” He sent them a hard stare each immediately after telling it, as if expecting some sort of witticism, but no one said anything. Mr. K’etz merely handed the phone to him. “What is the first thing that you notice when meeting someone new?”

Miss Kahnum blew out her cheeks, then slowly exhaled.

“Their hair, I guess. And their eyes. Not the way they look, but _where_ they look. This might come off as a surprise, but a lot of people have a hard time keeping their eyes on my face.” She smirked at Hanzo. He gave her the phone without looking at her, his cheeks having gained a light pink hue. “If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you do?”

Kang aimed his gaze to his lap, watching his thumbs twiddle about whilst chewing on his lip.

“Quit my job and travel around the world, taking odd jobs wherever I went in order to survive,” he at last admitted.

“Where’d you want to go?” Mr. K’etz asked.

“Everywhere!” Kang felt the excitement building as he said it. “There’s things to see everywhere! If you could choose any era to live in, what would you choose?”

“The future.”

“I’d have said the twenties,” Miss Kahnum declared. “It seemed like a cool decade. You know, before the depression.”

“There is no better time to be alive than the present, and the future will be even better,” Mr. K’etz said firmly. “We’ll have cured more diseases; human rights will encompass more people, etc. etc. What was your favorite school subject?”

Hanzo produced a grunt that sounded suspiciously close to a chuckle. “Gym. Maybe chemistry, but that’s just because the teacher caused an explosion that made the fire alarm go off on the first day. The class went downhill after that. What is one thing you would change about yourself?”

Miss Kahnum’s smile, which had been pretty constant since the start of their “game”, melted away. Quietly, she put an absentminded hand to her face, fingers brushing against her jaw and lips.

Kang glanced at the other two. Mr. K’etz met his gaze, but Hanzo was busy watching Miss Kahnum, appearing almost concerned.

“You don’t have to answ-”

“Nothing,” she hurriedly cut him off. “I mean, look at me: I’m perfect. Though if I have to choose, I’d say my height. Add half an inch.” She grinned at them, confidence back in place, and reached for her phone. “What is the best thing that happened to you this week?”

Kang briefly wondered if he should interrupt the game and ask her about… whatever bothered her, finally opting not to. It wasn’t really his place. Instead, he thought about the question. He inhaled deeply.

“Honestly? This. I’ve missed the beginning of my shift. I might get fired for it, and it’ll technically not be my fault. There’s no one giving me orders, or demanding that I decide what to do with my life… This is actually really relaxing.” He let out a laugh, a genuine, relieved laugh. Miss Kahnum rolled her eyes at him as she slid the phone over. “If you were given three wishes, what would you wish for?”

A crease appeared between Mr. K’etz’s eyes – he looked grimmer than ever. “There would be 30 hours in each day-”

“But the number of working hours would still stay the same, right?” Miss Kahnum interjected.

“Yes.”

“Good. Go on.”

“Next I’d ban the ‘turn-and-smile’ sitcom opening.”

Kang frowned in confusion. “The what…?”

“In sitcoms, especially ones with teens in it, they sometimes introduce the characters and their names by zooming in on the actor. They turn around, their name appears in big, ugly letters beneath them, they fold their arms, smile unnaturally, and nod their heads. Like this.”

Mr. K’etz demonstrated, toothy but joyless grin included. Kang could barely contain the laughter. Mr. K’etz’s… _appearance_ really didn’t lend itself to expressions like that. Hanzo turned his reaction into an obviously faked cough; Miss Kahnum didn’t even try, and burst into a fit of giggles.

“I hate that!” Mr. K’etz said, uncaring about the others’ amusement. “Lastly… I’d want one last conversation with my father.” He heaved a deep sigh. If his words hadn’t removed the hilarity from the compartment, that sigh sure did the trick. He glumly accepted the phone from Kang. “If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would that be?”

Hanzo blanched a little. He brought a hand up to rub his eye, before burying his whole face.

“I should have listened to her.”

“Who?” Mr. K’etz asked, still despondent.

“My… my ex-wife.” Hanzo thumped his head into the wall behind him, running one hand through his hair. He swallowed several times as he spoke. “She’s levelheaded, always knew what’s the right thing. Told me all the time, but I didn’t listen. I was… postponing the inevitable, making it worse. When I finally realized it, it was too late.” He held out his hand to Mr. K’etz, taking the phone while staring straight ahead. “What qualities do you value most in a friend?” he asked, peering down at Miss Kahnum.

She bit the inside of her cheek. Her free hand was drawing circular marks in the carpet.

“Loyalty. Compassion. The patience to deal with me, I guess.” She giggled softly. When she got her phone back it transformed into a sincere chuckle. “What are some things that you shouldn't say at a funeral?”

“Oh, ehm…” Kang ransacked his brain for an answer. He hadn’t been to a funeral for a long while, but there was one comment that had stood out. “It was God’s will?”

Miss Kahnum’s nose scrunched up. “I hate that one! It was God’s will to break my heart, huh? Well, in that case, God’s a bitch!”

“There are many things you shouldn’t say at a funeral,” Mr. K’etz said pensively.

“Like, ’When’s the after-party?’” Miss Kahnum said.

“’I know what it’s like; my goldfish died last year’,” Kang said.

“’I think I saw the corpse move.’” Hanzo snorted and shook his head.

“Anything ending with ‘Psych’.” Mr. K’etz made some very exaggerated air-quotes.

Kang nodded, adding, “Or taking a selfie with the coffin.”

“Or asking the widow/widower out,” Mr. K’etz stated with utmost distaste.

“’Since he won’t need them, may I have his shoes?’” Miss Kahnum said, snickering.

“’It should have been you’,” Hanzo said.

Before anyone had the time to be horrified by the implication, the elevator shook. All four jumped to their feet, gathering their things. Miss Kahnum bounced with glee. The elevator continued edging its way down until finally halting. The doors opened… revealing a two-foot-wide gap at the bottom, teasing them with freedom. So close, yet so far.

A man came into view, standing at the first floor.

“I’m sorry, Miss Kahnum,” the formerly-bored, currently-nervous employee said. “We’ll have it go all the way down in just a moment!”

“No!” Miss Kahnum exclaimed. “I’m getting out now!”

She squatted on the floor, chucked out her belongings, and slithered out the gap quite gracefully. Kang turned to Hanzo and Mr. K’etz. The latter gestured for Kang to follow her first.

The first thing he saw, after his eyes adjusted themselves to the sudden brightness, was Miss Kahnum throwing herself into the arms of two other young women, one tall and dark in black skinny jeans, the other shorter and clad in a blue summer dress. Behind him, Mr. K’etz grunted as he slunk out. He instantly headed for the exit, temporarily stopping to speak to Miss Kahnum and shake hands with the girl in the dress. It had to be Miss Kahnum’s sister – not only were they practically identical, but she gladly exchanged pleasantries with him like there was nothing else she’d rather do.

A dark figure appeared next to Kang. He locked eyes with Hanzo for a second. Then the older man patted him on the shoulder, before vanishing in the crowd without another word.

Kang began walking, leisurely moving forth and inhaling the fresh air. He hadn’t realized how stuffy that elevator had become near the end. He should probably get to the store and see if he was still employed or not.

“Liu Kang!”

He spun around. Miss Kahnum seized him by the wrist. She munched on a croissant as she dragged him with her.

“Our brunch has turned into a lunch,” she said when they stopped. She jerked her head towards her companions. “Wanna join us?”

“Uh…” Kang could hardly believe it. Was she serious? “I have… work…”

Miss Kahnum snorted. “Yeah, but you hate that place. Don’t be stupid and say yes already!”

“Mileena!” The older Miss Kahnum sent her younger sister a half-hearted glare. She turned to Kang, smiling kindly. “You don’t have to listen to her. She’s so used to getting her way, she can’t accept whenever someone turns her down.”

Mileena stuck out her tongue at her sister. The third woman chuckled at their antics. Kang was busy looking into the older Miss Kahnum’s eyes. They were very big and gentle, colored a soft brown. He cleared his throat, hoping he wasn’t blushing.

“Well, you know…” he said shyly. “I do actually hate that place.”


	2. Two-timing Bastard

**Prompt:** Two-timing Bastard

**Characters:** Mileena, Reiko, Skarlet, Kitana, Kang

**Rating:** T

**Word count:** 4674

**Notes:** Fic contains an attempt, by me, at emotional abuse.

* * *

 

It was with a frown that Kitana watched Mileena make herself ready for her date. Her little sister hummed faintly whilst blow-drying her hair, the scent of her shampoo still hanging in the air. Anyone else would probably be cheered up by seeing her so happy, but Kitana could only fretfully bite the inside of her cheek.

“You know,” she said as soon as Mileena put down the dryer. “You could come with me and Kang today. You can meet us at the cinema once you’re done… Maybe you’ll even have time to eat with us beforehand. Or we’ll wait for you. He won’t mind.”

Mileena snorted out a laugh. She took a moment to spritz perfume on herself and pick up her blush brush from the vanity before answering.

“ _Of course_ he won’t mind. Your doormat of a boyfriend _never_ minds anything you say or do.”

“That’s not true.” Kitana changed positions on Mileena’s bed, crossing one leg over the other. “He wouldn’t mind because… He likes you. He enjoys your company.”

“Mmhmm. Still not coming.”

“But it’s… been so long since we last did something together,” Kitana said weakly. Mileena’s reflection glanced her way. The corners of her eyes tapered faintly.

“I’m not interested in that movie you’re seeing.”

“It’s a thriller. You like those. And it got that hipsterish actor that-”

Kitana cut herself off when Mileena heaved a deep, groaning sigh. She put down her eyeliner with a thud.

“Look,” she said, turning to face Kitana. “I know you don’t like Reiko in the slightest, but I do, and I’m seeing him tonight no matter what you say.”

“I just want to…” Kitana trailed off. Mileena ignored her, heading into her closet and beginning to pull garments off their hangers. Next to her on the bed, Kitana’s cellphone beeped.

“Sounds like your doormat is here,” Mileena called from within the closet. She briefly stuck her head out to flash a playful grin. “Have fun!”

Kitana knew there were no point in arguing further with her little sister. No one could tell Mileena what to do. Well, almost no one. After mumbling a quick “goodbye”, Kitana grabbed her bag and dashed out the door to meet Kang by the entry gate. He preferred not coming inside the mansion if he could help it – he claimed it was because he felt her father’s disapproving aura whenever he put a foot past the threshold. Kitana always told him he was being silly, although in the back of her head she knew he wasn’t that far off regarding her father’s opinion. Not that it mattered to her. She suspected that, once her father understood they were planning for their relationship to last, he’d soften up. Or at least be less obvious about his displeasure.

“Hello,” Kang said right before kissing her. “Are you ready to go?”

“I wouldn’t be out here if I weren’t,” she said as she took his hand.

He had a car – not very luxurious, but functional – and she had many cars, both with and without an accompanying chauffeur. However, when together they enjoyed walking. All right, _Kang_ enjoyed walking, but she didn’t _dislike_ it. Besides, the mansion was practically in the heart of the city, which meant food or entertainment was never far away.

They strolled at a reasonable pace, their hands swinging back and forth between them. Kitana aimed her gaze at the ground for most of the time. They’d exited the upper-class area and entered the urban one, cars and people making noise from all around you, but Kitana drowned it out.

Mileena had probably picked her outfit by now. Her hair was nearly done, and her makeup about halfway. She most likely wouldn’t do her nails since it would take too long. She’d be done in about an hour, at most. Then she’d get in her car, the Lamborghini, and meet with Reiko. Ugh.

Kang suddenly stopped, causing her to come to a halt as well. He was frowning when she questioningly turned to him.

“I something the matter?” he asked. Her eyes instantly widened. Had he said something while she was thinking?

“Huh? No? Why?”

“You seem distracted.” An amused smile graced his lips. “And you shuddered right now. You aren’t cold, right?”

“No, I…” Searching for the words, Kitana decided to simply tell the truth. “Mileena is still going out with that creep Reiko!”

Kang blinked uncomprehendingly. He pulled her along to start moving again. “Um, who…?”

“You remember Dad’s business dinner? He was there. Mileena spent the entire evening hanging onto his arm, and he spent the evening licking Dad’s boots.”

Kang turned a contemplative face towards the sky, chewing on his lower lip. After a few short seconds, recollection came over him.

“Tall, dark, and smug-like?”

“Yeah. Him. They’re dating now,” she said with a grimace. “She is too good for him!”

“Maybe he’s not the best for her, but if she likes him-”

“She doesn’t know any better!” she interrupted him, heat entering her voice. “And it’s not just me being overprotective here; Jade doesn’t like him either! He’s so… _conceited_ and _egotistical._ And _gross_. He’s, like, 28. What kind of 28-year-old goes out with a 17-year-old? They can’t even drink together!”

“Technically, neither can we…” Kang said with a half-shrug.

“That’s _different_ ,” she exclaimed, violently shaking her head. She felt a flush on her cheeks, and her hands were beginning to shake. “We’re both adults! The half-plus-seven-year rule dictates he should stay away from her!”

She stopped her rant to breathe. Kang stared at her, then snorted out a laughter through his nose. He brought a hand to cover his mouth, still chuckling.

“I’m sorry. You’re so cute when you get worked up like this. But you’re right!” he said, hastily sobering up after she sent him a “look”. “That _is_ pretty creepy.”

Kitana sighed. “That’s not the worst part: you know her favorite shirt?”

Kang’s face became blank yet again. He glanced to the side, as if to see if the answer was standing next to them. “It’s pink?”

“It looks like a corset. You’ve seen her in it at least four times.”

“I don’t really memorize other people’s clothes…” he said, scratching his neck. Unable to help herself, she smiled at him before returning to the topic.

“She threw it away because he didn’t like it.”

“What?”

“He said it was ‘juvenile’ and ‘no self-respecting woman would dress in it’.”

Kang’s face pulled into a scowl, partly disgusted and partly enraged. Exactly how Kitana felt when she first heard about it.

“That’s…” He cut himself off to scowl even deeper. Kitana concurred.

“I’ve tried telling her, but she won’t listen!”

“Have you talked to your dad?”

She sighed again. “He’s busy, like always.”

“Do you… want me to talk to her?”

Kitana giggled. Ceasing to walk, she took both of his hands in hers, stroking her thumbs over his knuckles.

“No.” She leaned in to give him a tender kiss on the nose. “Merely listening to me complain about it is good enough.”

Kang’s face got colored a light red. He was so cute. But the rosiness vanished almost as fast as it had come, something troubled entering his gaze. He craned his neck to look past Kitana.

“Uh, isn’t that… him?” he asked. Kitana turned with furrowed brows.

“Hm? Where-” Her words got stuck in her throat; all that escaped was a tiny gasp. Roughly 25 yards away Reiko – _Mileena’s Reiko_ – sauntered forth with his arm slung around a pale redhead clad in hot pants, a crop top, and knee-high boots. Kitana’s fist slowly clenched. “What is he _doing?!_ ”

“She could be a friend. Or a relative,” Kang said quickly, and noticeably winced as Reiko kissed the woman. Even at the current distance you could see their tongues roaming inside each other’s mouths. Kitana’s jaw hung slack. “Or… not…”

“ _That son of a bitch!_ ”

Kitana rushed forward to reach the other side of the street before the couple disappeared from her sights. She put one foot at the car lane, and was almost immediately yanked back by a pair of strong arms. Something big and silvery thundered past them on the road.

“Kitana! Careful!” Kang cried out.

She jerked herself loose from his grip and gyrated to face him, so rapidly she nearly made him lose his balance. “ _Did you see that?_ ”

“Yes, yes, I did-”

“ _Cheating, repulsive jerk!_ ” She darted to the closest crosswalk. “ _Two-timing bastard!_ ”

The light turned green. Kitana moved as fast as she could without actually running, Kang scurrying after her.

“Kitana…” he begged whilst following her. “Kitana, don’t… Calm down…”

“No!”

“You can’t jump him on the street-”

“I don’t care; I’m going to claw his eyes out!”

Reiko and the woman were just ahead of her, making their way down the street without a care in the world. Kitana began to jog, which soon turned into an all-out sprint. They stopped in front of a subway entrance, kissed one last time – _she was going to bash his head into a brick wall!_ – before the woman entered the underground. Reiko raised an arm, swiftly flagging down a cab. Kitana sped up, about to call his name, when the cab door closed.

Kitana was slightly out of breath as she watched the cab go around the corner. She was fairly certain Reiko hadn’t even noticed her chase after him! Asshole. Well, now he was gone, God knew where to…

Except, Kitana did know. He was going to dinner with Mileena in about twenty minutes. Her teeth clamped together at the thought. She needed to get home immediately. Maybe she could catch Mileena before she left.

A hand gently grasped her shoulder. Kang examined her with concern. She sighed.

“I’m going to have to cancel our date,” she said.

He nodded. “I’ll walk you home.”

* * *

Mileena sat by the table with butterflies having a war in her stomach. Her date would begin in about three minutes, according to her wristwatch. Reiko despised tardiness, so she’d made sure to be fifteen minutes early today. Luckily, the staff let her sit even though they weren’t booked until 19:00. Her phone beeped, hauling her out of her reverie. She was about to check it, when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She didn’t need to turn to see who it was.

Gracefully, she rose from her chair. Her hair was piled up high and her dress was black and slim, the hem ending right above her knees. She looked elegant. Womanly. Exactly the way he liked it. She slowly turned to meet his smile. But as she reached up to kiss him, he recoiled. Her heart nearly stopped.

“What is it?”

Reiko narrowed his eyes, his nose scrunching slightly. “You’re wearing pink lipstick.”

Her hand reflexively went to her mouth, almost touching and smudging it before remembering herself.

“Don’t you like it?”

“The color doesn’t suit you. It makes you look cheap. Didn’t I tell you to try nude or peach instead?”

“Yes… I forgot.” That was a lie, mostly. She did recall him saying it, but since this was a completely different shade she’d hoped it would fit her better. This particular moment, though, she hadn’t spent one single thought on lipstick. She just wanted to kiss him.

“Make sure you remember next time.” He pulled out the chair for her, briefly caressing her shoulder and arm before taking her hand to kiss it. “Let’s not dwell on it. Nothing can ruin my night with the perfect woman.”

She giggled lightly. He seated himself too, then proceeded to tell her about his day. He’d been forced to thoroughly berate another employee, whose name she recognized but instantly erased from her mind, after he’d fucked up for the third time this week. He’d also lunched with her father, where they discussed an idea Reiko had to improve the company. Mileena didn’t completely get what it was, but the things she understood sounded brilliant!

The staff was very efficient, with water and bread at their table within seconds, followed by a waiter mere minutes afterwards. Mileena was used to quick service, bit this was impressive. She guessed Reiko had something to do with it. Reiko ordered first, with confidence. Mileena was about to do the same, when Reiko spoke up.

“Should I take care of that, sweetie?”

She smiled at him from over the menu. “I think I know what I want.”

He silently took hold of her menu, something serious in his eye. She hesitated. He continued to stare meaningfully at her. Finally, she let go. He shut it without giving it a glance, and gave both their menus to the waiter whilst ordering for her. Mileena sat quietly, taking her napkin to place it in her lap. The tips of her ears were burning. Reiko leaned back in his chair; it scraped softly against the floor.

“I don’t want you embarrassing yourself,” he said. She laughed, but not for long because it sounded unusually shrill.

“I have been to restaurants before, you know.”

“Yes, but they can still sense your lack of sophistication.” He quieted as they were served their appetizers, only speaking again after the waiter left. “It’s better for you to properly learn before doing something complicated.”

Mileena nodded. She understood what he meant. It was so nice of him to look after her like this.

The conversation continued with him telling about his latest business trip, to Hong Kong. He’d met a lot of different people, including a handsome, rich couple. They showed him the city, and sparred together in a traditional dojo. They also invited him to come and stay at their country house, which lay by a mountain with natural hot springs, next time he visited. The entrées arrived as he patted the back of her hand, saying the trip would be more worthwhile with a companion. She felt the blush on her cheeks, but she didn’t care.

During the main course, they talked about another trip of his, to Rio de Janeiro ( _his life was so interesting!_ ), which led to a story about a company he started with a Hispanic friend. The company ultimately failed, though Reiko had sold his part and left by the time it happened. He was discussing another old friend of his, who was a rising politician, when Mileena’s phone beeped.

She fished it up from her bag to mute it, though couldn’t help but to look at the text first. It was an ad from an online boutique. However, there was also an unopened one, from Kitana. It must’ve been she who texted two hours ago.

“Who are you texting?”

Mileena’s head snapped up. Reiko was sipping his drink, a cool look aimed her way.

“No one. Kitana wonders where I am.”

“Didn’t she know you were going out?”

“Yes, but-”

He extended his arm towards her. “Let me see.”

“It’s only a-”

“Let me see, Mileena.”

After a second’s hesitancy, she gave the phone to him. He examined the text carefully, then handed it back. Wordlessly, he went back to his food. Mileena swiftly turned it off before tossing it into her purse. Reaching for her glass, she rapidly emptied its contents. She scratched her nail against the tablecloth. He didn’t look up. She cleared her throat. The silence lingered.

“It was funny, earlier today,” she said in the hopes of killing the awkwardness. “Kitana wanted me to come with her and Kang on _their_ date! As if I wanted to be the third wheel! She said Kang wouldn’t mind, and the worst thing is it’s true! He’s too nice for his own-”

“Did she tell you why?”

His question caught her off guard. He was still seemingly only focused on his plate.

“Well… We haven’t seen each other as much as we used to. And me and Kang are pretty good friends. Maybe she thinks if Dad sees us being friendly-”

“Sounds to me like she doesn’t want us together.”

Mileena felt her throat drying up. “I mean, she isn’t _thrilled_ about us, but-”

“She’s trying to control you.”

“She’s just offering her opinion!”

“Why would you care?”

Finally, he met her gaze. His dark eyes were calmly waiting for a rational reply. Mileena opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again.

“She’s my sister,” she said quietly. He frowned at her.

“So? It’s evident she doesn’t have your best interest at heart. She’s always been the accomplished one, but now you’re catching up to her. She’s jealous because you are receiving attention, and she isn’t.”

Her jaw dropped, her eyes widening. For a moment, she became angry at him.

“Kitana isn’t like that!”

Reiko shrugged. “Maybe you are simply blind to her faults.”

Mileena didn’t argue further, even though she kind of wanted to. She didn’t know what to say. She glanced at her glass. Empty. She wished she hadn’t downed all of it; her mouth was _parched_.

They finished soon after that, walking out to their cars with his hand on the small of her back. She tried to kiss him when they reached her car, but he gently pushed her away.

“I told you, sweetie, not with that lipstick. I can’t risk any stains.”

“Alright… Should we go somewhere else-”

“Unfortunately, I have things to take care off. Another day.”

“Oh. Okay,” she said, the disappointment in her tone palpable. “See you then. I, I love you.”

He smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her cheek before turning to his own car.

* * *

When Mileena returned home, she was surprised to see Kitana seething on the sofa in the living room. Before she had time to ask, however, Kitana jumped up from the couch and rushed over, taking both her hands.

“You’re home!” she exclaimed.

“So are you,” Mileena said. “I thought you were seeing a movie?”

“We canceled. Mileena.” Kitana’s voice was mild, sad. She laced their fingers together. “I need to tell you something.”

“What?” Mileena gasped. “Is it Kang? Did you break up?”

“Huh? No!”

“Then why’re you looking like that? Did someone die?”

A shadow came over Kitana’s face. She locked her jaw and pressed her lips tightly together.

“Someone might,” she said. Her features softened again. “It’s about Reiko. I – we – saw him earlier today. With another woman.”

It felt like Mileena entered a vacuum. No sound, no air, no nothing. She spent at least a whole minute simply blinking without an expression on her face. She opened her mouth, but no words emerged. Her throat swallowed by itself, again and again. Concern flooded her sister’s gaze. Mileena inhaled.

“What?” she said tonelessly. “No. No, you were mistaken.”

The skin around Kitana’s eyes crinkled with distress. She shook her head.

“Mileena, we _saw_ him. He was holding her, and… kissing her.”

“ _No!”_

The sudden shriek made Kitana flinch. Mileena surprised herself with how loudly she screamed. She yanked away from Kitana’s grip.

_“It must’ve been someone else!”_ She spun around, buried her face in her hands and combed her fingers through her hair, completely disheveling it. “It, it-” She cut herself off, turning to Kitana. Her eyes were burning. “You’re lying.”

Kitana went from anxious to shocked in less than a heartbeat, her eyebrows shooting into her hairline and her jaw hitting the floor.

“I’m not-”

“You’re jealous that _I_ have something _you_ _don’t!_ ” Mileena spat out the words as if they’d been dipped in poison. She pointed accusingly at her sister whilst staggering backwards to the staircase. Kitana attempted to follow, but Mileena gyrated and ran up to her room, ignoring how Kitana pleadingly yelled her name. Slamming the door behind her, she proceeded to rip her dress and her jewels off. Leaving them in a heap on the ground, she threw herself onto the bed and hid amongst her pillows.

It wasn’t true. It _wasn’t_ true! Reiko wanted _her!_ He called her ‘perfect’! He was dating _her!_

Although… Only when it suited him. Whenever Mileena suggested a date, he was busy. Each time she tried to kiss him, he had a new excuse of why they shouldn’t. Every time she’d said ‘I love you’, he hadn’t said it back. Not once. And they always saw each other in specific places, never for too long, never during the day where they were sure be to be seen, and, and…

A sob escaped her. Her pillow was getting damper for each passing moment. Curling into herself, she let out a wail that echoed in the empty space. Then the tears flowed with the threat of never ending. She cried so much she could barely breathe, and couldn’t at all hear what happened around her. She noticed Kitana had entered her room first when she sunk down into the mattress. She embraced Mileena, pulling her into her lap. Mileena pressed her face into Kitana’s chest, still blubbering like a child.

“It’s not your fault.” Kitana’s smooth whisper warmed Mileena’s scalp. “This was his choice. This is all on him.”

She kept murmuring softly and caressing Mileena’s hair, until Mileena recovered enough to speak again.

“What did she look like?” she asked, hoarsely. There was a wet mascara-stain on Kitana’s blouse. She didn’t appear to notice.

“Um, tall, redheaded. Her clothes were pretty revealing-”

“So she’s a slut.”

Mileena shoved herself up and rested her chin on her knees. Kitana quickly followed suit. She gently cupped Mileena’s face, turning it so their eyes met.

“He’ll regret this.” She was seething again, with a controlled rage that stewed right beneath the surface. “When we tell Dad, he’ll be fired. He won’t set foot in this business again. His _grandchildren_ will be blacklisted.”

Mileena considered it for a split second.

“No.” She violently rose from the bed. “It’s not enough. I want to _expose_ what a fucking asshole he is. I want to see his face!” She ran over to the vanity ( _she looked awful!_ ) to grab her makeup articles. “Pick an outfit for me,” she asked Kitana before closing the bathroom door.

The lighting in there made her look even worse. Comparing her to a clown would be an insult to all hardworking clowns around the world. Giving the mirror image a stern glare, she began wiping off the blurred stains. Next, she washed her face with ice-cold water to wash away both the cosmetics and the puffiness. Then she painted herself, with thick eyeliner and dark pink lipstick. After she was done, there was another woman staring back at her, smiling.

Kitana did a good job: waiting for Mileena on her bed was a pair of ripped skinny jeans and her low-cut, magenta-colored top with lacing in the back. Mileena _loved_ that top! She knew exactly which shoes she wanted to go with it, too – the black knee boots. Reiko _hated_ knee boots!

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come too?” Kitana asked her as she made herself ready to leave. Mileena nodded resolutely.

“I want to do this myself. You can kill him later.”

The fire in Kitana’s expression promised she would.

Once Mileena got into her car, she realized she didn’t know where Reiko was at the moment. She didn’t want to call him – he would get _no_ forewarning. In the end, she decided to go back to the restaurant and ask the staff which way he’d gone. Most likely, he’d returned to his flat, she thought. However, that turned out not to be the case, because as Mileena parked by the restaurant she saw Reiko’s vehicle in the same spot as two hours ago. That bastard. That bigheaded bastard.

She marched into the restaurant, past the hostess, and into the dining area. She scanned the room, searching for- There! Opposite a redheaded woman sat Reiko, by the same table, still wearing the same suit.

That motherfucking bastard.

Mileena strode up to them, assertively, furiously. But, the closer she came, the slower her steps got. A tight knot took shape in her stomach. Her hands became clammy. Her ferocity drained. When she reached them, she couldn’t speak, but had to wait for Reiko spot her.

“Mileena!” he said, a bit stunned. Why wasn’t he mortified to see her? Or chagrinned? Or terrified? “Sweetie, I didn’t expect you here.”

He took her hand, kissed it affectionately. Were they wrong? Had Kitana actually been mistaken?

“This is my boss’ daughter,” he told the redhead, who offered a slight nod in greeting. She wore a strapless mini dress, her hair in a haphazard bun. She looked hot.

Mileena swallowed, plastering a smile onto her face.

“Yes, hello! I’m Mileena, Reiko’s girlfriend. You must be the side bitch!”

That shook her, she was obviously taken aback (oh, what a glorious sight…) as she sent Reiko an astounded look. Reiko sighed deeply.

“Mileena, please…” He sounded tired, as if she disrupted his dates on a daily basis. How dared he! “Don’t do this tonight-”

“ _Shut up!_ You thought you could get away with this? You thought _no one_ would realize?”

He sighed again, like she was a disobedient child throwing a tantrum. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Did you confuse a little affection for love? I guess a girl could misinterpret innocent fondness, but-”

“ _We’ve been dating for over a month!_ ”

He shook his head and gave the Bitch an apologetic look. Mileena’s eyes were tearing. She would start crying at any minute now. Other dinner guests had begun to gawk and whisper.

“Try not to cause a scene, sweetie,” Reiko said. “Don’t get so emotional-”

He was interrupted by the Bitch’s chair suddenly pulling out. Standing, she took the two glasses filled with red wine. She handed one to Mileena.

“You go first,” she said.

Mileena stared uncomprehendingly at the glass for what felt like an eternity. But then everything clicked, and she threw the contents in Reiko’s face. Coughing and spitting, he began to rise, enraged, but instantly sunk back in his seat, sucking in air between his teeth, as the woman poured her glass over his head so it seeped down his collar. While she did, Mileena took the opportunity to dump his plate of potato salad in his lap; he yelped. As he tried to salvage his clothes, Mileena wiped away some stray tears before clearing her throat.

“I am done with you.” Her voice trembled as she spoke. “And so is my father. No one will touch you with a ten-foot pole after this!”

He looked at her with wild eyes, absolutely beside himself and about to shout at her. She was shaking, her throat was thickening. No, no this was unfair! She’d gotten him, she’d done exactly what she wanted! She couldn’t ruin it by bursting into tears like some-

The woman hooked arms with her, and slowly coaxed her away from the table.

“Well, this was fun,” she said. “Do us a favor and take care of the check, _beloved_.”

Then they were walking, across the restaurant and away from everything. Mileena allowed herself to quietly sniffle. The woman patted her arm.

“My name is Skarlet,” she said. Mileena sniffled some more.

They stopped briefly to fetch Skarlet’s jacket – it was a slim, half-long thing in leather. Pretty cool-looking, actually.

“Mm, I’m still hungry,” Skarlet said. “There’s a rather good steakhouse two blocks from here. Wanna go?”

Mileena nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, that, that’s… Sure.”

She hurried to her car. She just wanted to leave, so badly. Skarlet’s eyes widened as the Lamborghini unlocked itself.

“ _This_ is _yours?_ ” she asked.

“Hm? Oh, yeah.”

A ruckus was heard from within the restaurant. A lot of shouting and cursing. Possibly some china breaking, too. Skarlet fleetingly glimpsed back at the commotion.

“You know… there’s an even better steakhouse at the other end of town.”

Something stirred inside Mileena at that moment. At first it was a giggle, then a cackle. By the time she’d slipped into the driver’s seat and put the key in the ignition, it had turned into a guffaw.


End file.
